Brittany - tourist attractions, accommodation and regional guide. Regions of France › Brittany Brittany, lying in the northwest corner of France, is one of the great historic provinces of France. The most Atlantic of France's regions, Brittany is proud of its Celtic heritage, that sets it apart from the rest of France. It it enjoys a mild climate somewhat warmer though not necessarily drier than the climate of the southwest of England. Brittany - travel guide and tourist attractions Saint Malo - walled city More information The name " Brittany" derives from the Britons who, back in the dark ages, came south across the English Channel to seek refuge from the Anglo Saxon invaders who were pushing them out of a large part of the island of Great Britain. In this historic past, other Britons fled to the west and south west of their own island, to Wales and Cornwall; and so it is that today, Brittany shares a historic culture with the other Celtic regions of northwest Europe.

Today, the French administrative region of Brittany covers four "departments", the Côtes d'Armor (22) in the north, Finistère (29) in the far west, Morbihan (56) in the south, and Ille et Vilaine (35) in the east, bordering on Normandy and the Loire valley area. Another department used to belong to the historic province of Brittany, and this was the Loire Atlantique (44), the area round the city of Nantes which used once to be the Breton capital, but is today no longer in the region. The capital city of the modern Brittany region is Rennes, located in the central eastern part of the region; most of the major lines of communication between Brittany and Paris pass through Rennes, which is a large industrial and university city. Other important cities in the region are Brest, one of the two most important French naval ports, St Malo, an imposing walled city on the north coast, and Vannes, the capital of the Morbihan, with an atractive old town centre. Quimper, the capital of the Finistère, and St.

Brieuc, the capital of the Côtes d'Armor, are less important. Lorient, in the Morbihan, was once a major shipping port trading with - as its name suggests - the Orient; but its shipping and ship-building industries have largely declined, and like other ports on the south coast of Brittany, is better known today for its yachting and yacht-building industry. It is also the venue for Brittany's annual Interceltiques music and culture festival. Prehistoric megaliths at Carnac Despite its limited size, Brittany is quite a diverse region; the north and west coasts, open to the force of the North Atlantic, are rugged and rocky, with beautiful sandy coves and beaches. The south coast, facing onto the Bay of Biscay, is flatter, much milder, and graced by a number of large sandy beaches. There are also a lot of inlets on the south coast, such as La Trinité sur Mer, which in the past have been ports and commercial harbours, but today are more popular with yachtsmen and a dwindling fishing industry. The sea here is warmer in summer.

The backbone of Brittany is a granite ridge stretching from east to west, peaking in the Monts d'Arrée. But most of inland Brittany is gentle farming country, a region famous for its milk and butter and its early crops. As a holiday region, it is of course Brittany's coasts that attract the greatest number of visitors; the inland regions are on the whole quite tranquil and for this reason have attracted a lot of second-home owners from other parts of France, and from Britain. In cultural terms, Brittany is very distinctive, with its own language and Celtic cultural tradition that set it apart from the rest of France. The Breton language, though not much used in everyday life, and not understood by most of the modern population, has made a comeback in recent years, and is taught in a lot of schools. Celtic traditions are alive or recalled today in Breton folk music, its Celtic festivals, and its many prehistoric monuments Reaching Brittany: Regions of France | Brittany Region of France - History ﻿ Brittany History Brittany is known as Bretagne in French and at first it was a province and duchy and only later turned into a region. Rennes, former provincial capital, is the chief city.

In ancient times the region was part of Armorica. Julius Caesar invaded the country in 56 bc and it thus became the Roman province of Gallia Lugdunensis. After the withdrawal of the Romans many Britons fleeing the Teutonic invaders took refuge in the northwestern part of Armorica. They gave the region its present name. The Britons (later called Bretons) gradually converted the Armorican Celts to Christianity. In 922, Geoffrey, count of Rennes, proclaimed himself duke of Brittany. It became through marriage a possession of Geoffrey Plantagenet, son of Henry II, king of England, in 1171. It came back to a line of French dukes at Rennes during the 13th century. The union with France became permanent by treaty in 1532 during the reign of the French king Francis I. After 1532, Britanny retained a certain fiscal and regulatory autonomy, which was defended by the États de Bretagne despite the rising tide of royal absolutism. During the 18th century, Nantes rose to become one of the most important commercial centres of France.

On 4 August 1789, the National Constituent Assembly in Paris unanimously proclaimed the abolition of feudal privileges. These included the privileges of the provinces such as Britanny. Because of that, Brittany lost the juridical existence, autonomy, Parlement, and administrative, fiscal and legal peculiarities guaranteed since the Edict of Union of 1532. Ninenteenth-century Brittany acquired a reputation for timeless autarky, as an image of the province as a bastion of peasant traditionalism, religious festivals, and wild landscapes was developed. At the same time, Breton life became more and more integrated with that of the rest of France, particularly under the Third Republic. When France was divided into administrative regions by the Vichy government, the Bretagne region then included only four of the five departments that traditionally used to form the breton territory. This removal of Loire-Atlantique containing Nantes from the Breton region has been a matter of much controversy. Today the culture of Brittany is actually influenced by its past through books, music, religion and language and the Breton identity is something the inhabitants are quite proud of. Province of Brittany, France and more!

BRITTANY Brittany (French: Bretagne; Breton: Breiz) is a region and former province of northwestern France corresponding with the departments of Finistere, Cotes-d'Armor, Ille-et-Vilaine, and Morbihan. A peninsula projecting into the Atlantic Ocean, the region is bordered on the north by the English Channel and on the south by the Bay of Biscay. Brittany is distinct from other French regions because of its Celtic heritage. About one-quarter of its population of 2,815,900 (1992 est.) are able to speak Breton , a Celtic language similar to Cornish and Welsh. The language, customs, and costumes are preserved mainly in the more isolated west. RENNES (1990 pop., 203,533) is Brittany's route focus, traditional capital, and cultural center. Its university is a center of Celtic studies. Brittany's rugged indented coast, called Armor (Breton for "country of the sea"), has only about a dozen frost days a year--no more than the Riviera. Early vegetables, soft fruit, and flowers are grown for the Parisian and British markets.

Traditionally, Bretons have been sailors and fishermen. Their catch includes cod from the Grand Banks of Newfoundland, oysters, lobsters, sardines, and tuna. The interior is a relatively barren, often misty, plateau called Argoat ("country of the woods"); only two woodland ridges rise above 245 m (800 ft). Hedgerows surround small fields, resulting in a picturesque landscape called bocage. Between 3500 and 1800 BC early inhabitants built stone monuments at CARNAC and other sites. Celts later settled in the area, and in 56 BC they were conquered by Julius Caesar. The Anglo-Saxon invasions of Britain in the 5th and 6th centuries drove Celtic refugees to settle in Brittany. In the 9th century, under the leadership of Nomenoe, Brittany was united, winning independence from Carolingian rule. In the 10th century, Brittany became a duchy with its capital at Rennes . For the next 4 centuries it sought to retain its independence amid French and British rivalries.

In the 15th century the duchy became closely linked to France with the marriage of ANNE OF BRITTANY to two successive kings of France. In 1532, it was formally incorporated into France. Timothy J. Rickard Source: The New Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia, Release #8, ©1996 RECOMMENDED BOOKS You Save: $3.39 (20%) ISBN: 1858282241 Travelers to the Brittany and Normandy sections of France will find wild coastal areas, sheltered beaches, dense forest, sparse heathlands, as well as medieval and pre-historic landmarks that help define the area. This Rough Guide gives the complete low-down on great sights like Mont-Saint-Michel, Carnac, the Bayeux Tapestry, and more. Encourages rambling on side roads to discover the hidden charms of rural France at its most pristine. 40 maps and plans. FRANCE: Culture, History, Language, Travel Rennes Rennes is the municipal capital of Brittany, in northwestern France, located about 300 km (190 mi) southwest of Paris.

The population is 203,533 (1990). Wide city streets and canals radiate from the central hub of the city, long a regional center rich in customs and historical monuments. Rennes is an agricultural market and industrial center producing railroad and farm equipment and automobiles. Historic landmarks include the Jardin du Thabor and the 17th-century Palais de Justice. The University of Rennes is there. The principal town of the Celtic Redones tribe, Rennes was subsequently taken by the Romans and by the 10th century had emerged as the capital of Brittany. The city was almost completely destroyed by fire in 1720 and suffered heavy bombing during World War II. Source: The New Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia, Release #8, ©1996 Brittany Links: Information about the French Region of Brittany Specialities: Crêpes, cider, seafood, Kouign Amman cake, strawberries Background on the region Photo: CRTB Brittany is a land rich in contrasts, made up of the four departments of Finistère, Côtes-d’Armor, Ille-Et-Villaine and Morbihan. It is steeped in history and tradition and is proud of its strong maritime culture.

A favoured holiday destination for the French and Brits, it’s 600 km of fine, sandy coastline curves around the north western tip of France, enclosing 27,500 sq. km of fertile countryside and quaint market towns. The Breton people are hardy, down to earth and friendly. They remain close to the land, the sea and their culture. Breton is still spoken in a few areas and local traditions are upheld at the many lively festivals and fest noz of the summer months. Known by the Celts as Armorica, “land of the sea”, Brittany has a long and lively past. Prehistoric megaliths (standing stones) rise up from the ground around Carnac and it is said that young King Arthur received the sword of Excalibur from the fairy Vivian in the Paimpont Forest, 40 km south of Rennes. Half-timbered buildings characterize the bustling, medieval towns of Vannes, Dinan and Rennes, while the castles and fortresses of St. Malo, Fougères and Vitré bear witness to Brittany’s strategic location.

The region’s beauty has attracted many artists and the lovely town of Pont-Aven is lined with galleries showing works of painters past and present. From cornfield to oyster bed, woodland walk to long sandy beach, modern shipping port to charming, historical town, there is something for everyone in this varied and dynamic region. Rennes, situated in Ille-et-Villaine, has been Brittany’s capital since the 16th century. Home to the Breton houses of parliament, it is a hive of cultural activity, nurtured by the large student population. The Côtes-d'Armor on the northern shore is lined with seaside resorts, pink granite coves and traditional fishing ports. Morbihan, on the southern coast is backed by wooded river valleys and has a gentler feel and a milder climate. Exposed to the rough Atlantic winds, Finistère in the west has drama. The name aptly means “the end of the earth”. The region is known for its excellent seafood (Concarneau is particularly famous for its oysters and mussels which are brought straight up from the shoreline beds), sweet crepes and savoury buckwheat pancakes, cider, “galettes” biscuits and buttery Kouign Amman cake.

It offers a wide variety of sports including sailing, windsurfing, fishing, golf, hiking, mountain biking and horse riding. Photo: Maya Salvat Brittany is a land of spirit and character where history, art, culture and nature live side by side with all today's modern services. Shopping is always close by and plentiful. Traveling is fast and easy - Paris is only 2 hours by train from Rennes, ferries run from two ports to the UK and there is a very good network of free dual carriageways. Discover the delights of this beautiful region, so diverse and rich in contrasts, where you will find and live the best of all worlds. Facts and figures Population: 2,920,000 (4,8% of French population) Density: 107,5 per sq. km (France = 108,2 per sq. km) Area: 27,507 sq. km (10,620 sq.

miles) representing 5% of France Economy: Services (69,1%), industry (25,1%), agriculture (5,7%) Unemployment rate: 7,6% (rate for France = 9%) Specialities: Crêpes, cider, seafood, Kouign Amman cake, strawberries, artichokes Tourism Over 1100 km of cycling tracks on 74 circuits Horse-riding: 2000 km of paths, rides along the beach, woodland treks 11 golf courses. See them at A total of 11,6 million stays (68,2 millions nights) Over 900 hotels, 800 camp sites and 10,000 furnished or rural lodgings Important Links Brittany, France Overview Check out our one day trip from Paris to Brittany and Mont St. Michel . Visit Dinan, St. Malo and Mont St. Michel. A short video showing the beautiful character and enchanting sites of Brittany: Quick Facts: The fastest tides in all of Europe can be found in Brittany. Be careful! When the tide comes in, it really comes in fast.

In French "Brittany" is spelled "Bretagne". Great Britain is known as "Grande Bretagne". The capital of Brittany is the city of Rennes . Rennes has a population of just over 200,000 people. Pink Granite Coast - Sunset is the best time to explore the headland of Arcouest and the island of Brehat and admire the expanses of sandy beaches and the rusty rock formations in splendid hues of pink which give this coast its name. Saint Malo - Built in granite rock in the English Channel, the bathing resort of Saint Malo is known for its castle, the cathedral of Saint Vincent, and its 14th century ramparts which overlook the sea. Saint Malo is the birthplace of famous French writer and statesman, Chateaubriand. St. Malo is a great town to spend a few days by the sea. The Parish Closes - The parish closes of St. Thegonnec, Guimiliau and Lampaul-Guimiliau, which were built as early as 1532, are symbols of Brittany's Catholic and Celtic heritage. These granite religious structures are an intricate mesh of skilled of craftsmanship and imagery.

Churches, altarpieces and crosses are adorned with elves, gods and fairies carved in wood. Quimper and Pont-Aven Located in the heart of traditional Brittany and flanked by the Odet and Steir rivers, Quimper is famous for its furnace ceramics which have been produced by skilled craftsmen since the 17th century. The Gothic Cathedral of Saint Corentin has exceptional 15th century stained glass windows. Pont-Aven, home to a former artist colony known as the "School of Pont-Aven" led by the painter Paul Gauguin, is a pretty market village of white houses and sloping riverbanks. Carnac, Gulf of Morbihan - One of the foremost prehistoric centers, the seaside resort of Carnac is famed for its megalithic remains from the Neolithic period. In addition to 2792 menhirs, massive stones erected by tribes who inhabited the region before the arrival of the Gauls, the area is studded with burial places, semicircles, and tumuli. Located ten miles off the southern coast of Brittany, Belle Ile ("Beautiful Island") is Brittany's largest.

Buffeted by storms and fringed by rocky cliffs, it is an isolated natural paradise whose inhabitants are known for their hospitality. The medieval city of Vannes, at the head of the Gulf of Morbihan, is a perfect base from which to explore this magical inland sea and its many islands. Cancale - Cancale lies along the coast to the east of Saint-Malo. It is a picturesque fishing village popular with visitors many of whom are drawn by its reputation as the "oyster capital" of Brittany. Though a small town, it is well served by a large number of restaurants, many specialising in seafood. There is a pleasant coastal path which permits a circular walk from the town to the Pointe du Grouin with splendid views across the bay towards Mont Saint Michel. Eugène Feyen painted Cancale and the inhabitants with the oyster-picking Cancalaises for several decades around 1865–1908. Vincent van Gogh wrote that "Feyen is one of the few painters whose pictures intimate modern life as it is really, and does not turn it into fashion plates". Image: The harbor at St.

Malo, France Brittany Map Book our very popular one day trip from Paris to Brittany and Mont St. Michel . Stops include Dinan, St. Malo and Mont St. Michel. About LinkParis.com Since 2002, LinkParis.com has been a premier provider of Day Trips From Paris and Paris Tours. Whether this is your first trip to France or your fourth, we are here to help you plan your tours and activities, in and out of Paris. LinkParis.com was voted "Best Online Tour Operator" in 2014 by Atout France, the French Government Tourist Office. Call us today to get started at 805-493-0739 or 866-427-4882 . Or email us at John and Laura, founders, LinkParis.com Facts on Bretagne Province of France - Wines from France Bretagne is one of the 26 regions of France and it occupies a large peninsula in the northwest of the country. It lies between the English Channel to the north and the Bay of Biscay to the south.

The region of Bretagne is made up of 80% of the former duchy and province of Brittany and includes its well known capital city of Rennes. The remaining 20% of Brittany is the Loire-Atlantique department, which lies inside the Pays-de-la-Loire region , and its capital is Nantes, which was the historical capital of the duchy of Brittany. Although Nantes had been the main capital of the duchy of Brittany until the 16th century, Rennes had been the seat of the supreme court of justice of Brittany between 1560 and 1789 and therefore part of the reason why Brittany was split between these two modern day regions was to avoid the ongoing rivalry between Rennes and Nantes. When the French regions were created, it was decided when the majority of France was under Nazi German occupation and the remainder under the puppet Vichy regime in 1941, to create a region of Bretagne with Rennes as its capital, and another region created specifically for Nantes, which was called Pays-de-la-Loire. Pays-de-la-Loire is made up of a part of Brittany, but also several other historical provinces.

There are two regional languages which are recognised by the region - Breton, a Celtic language that is spoken in the western part of Brittany and Gallo that is in the process of being revived in the parts of Brittany that never spoke Breton. The region is divided into five departments. To the west is Finistere and to the north is Cï¿½tes-d'Armor. Morbihan lies in the middle, Ille-et-Vilaine is in the north-east and Loire-Atlantique is to the south-east. Approximately 72 percent of residents live in the Bretagne region, whilst the other 28 percent of people live in the Pays-de-la-Loire region . Copyright ï¿½ All Rights Reserved Regions of France | Brittany Region of France - Geography Brittany consists of 27,200 km². Departments The Brittany region consists of 4 departements: the Finistere (29), the Cotes-d’Armor (22), the Morbihan (56)and the Ille-et-Vilaine(35). Each of them have a maritime facade. Communes Brittany is composed by more than 1268 communes.

Coast and Water in Brittany Ocean Brittany is bordered along its coasts by the Atlantic Ocean. Brittany includes 1700 kms of coasltine, a succession of creeks, cliffs, dunes and sandy beaches. Brittany region also accounts for about 800 offshore isles and small islands considered as protected areas. The biggest and most famous are: Ouessant, Sein, Hoëdic, Houat, Belle-île, Groix, Molène,Batz, Bréhat or "les Sept-îles", "les îles du Golfe" and "les Glénan". Beaches The Brittany coast accounts for number of grassy dunes and sandy beaches. This environment covers 20% of the coastline in the Finistère department and 35% in the Morbihan. Brittany also offers a contrasting coastal view with rugged and jagged cliffs and coloured and shaped rocks. The highest cliffs are in the Crozon Peninsula (100m), then the cliffs at Goëlo and at Cap Fréhel (70m)and Quiberon Peninsula(10 to 20 m).

Popular coastal resorts Brittany's most popular coastal resorts are on the south coast including:La Baule, Belle Île and Gulf of Morbihan. The wilder North coast, including:Saint-Malo, Paimpol and Perros Guirec, also attracts summer tourists. Rivers Brittany is also characterised by the abundance of rivers and its 400 kilometres navigable network. It includes: the River Blavet between Pontivy and Port-Louis,the River Vilaine from Rennes to Redon, or the Western river of France Semnon. Freshwater ponds and lakes Brittany also accounts for many freshwater ponds and lakes such as the Guerlédan lake: the biggest of the region. Mountains range in Brittany Mountains The mountainous Massif armoricain and its granite slopes rises up in central Brittany. The Black Mountains stretch over 60 km, from Locronan to Malestroit. They are covered of dense forest and culminate at a height of 326 m, overlooking surrounding green valleys. The Monts d’Arrée are a range of peaks culminating at 384 m.

Forests and Natural Parks in Brittany Forests Brittany accounts for numerous private forests and woods located along the valleys or on the plateaus It includes: "Forêt du Gavre", "Forêt de Rennes", "Forêt de Fougères", "Forêt de Loudéac" and the legendary and mythical "Brocéliande" forest also called "Forêt de Paimpont" which extends over 7000 hectares. Protected areas Brittany is well-known for its "Parc naturel régional d’Armorique" a wild protected and picturesque area. Brittany also accounts for seaside natural reserves such as: Saint-Brieuc Bay, "les Sept-îles", "Saint-Nicolas des Glénan", "l’Iroise",Séné Marshlands, Cap Fréhel, Cap d’Erquy, "la pointe du Raz", Quiberon Péninsula and Morbihan Gulfe. Fauna and Flora Brittany consists of a wide range of vegetation: oak, beech, hornbeam, chestnut and conifers trees, maritime pines, lichens, mosses, anemones, sea campion, gorse, thistle or broom.

Brittany also hosts a wide range of animals:sea birds(cormorants, gannets, petrels), deer, wild boar, roe deer, salmon, trout, soles, mussels and turbot. Areas of interest in Brittany Côte d'Emeraude Along 72 kilometres in the northeast of Brittany, this is a succession of cliffs with beautiful landscapes including "Fort la Latte" and "Cap Fréhal". Crozon Peninsula Located in the Finistere department, this is a wild area worth to see for its cliffs and natural environment, belonging to "Parc naturel régional d'Armorique". "Pointe du Raz" Brittany | region, France | Britannica.com Brittany Geoffrey IV Brittany, French Bretagne, Breton Breiz, région of France encompassing the northwestern départements of Ille-et-Vilaine, Morbihan, Côtes-d’Armor, and Finistère. Brittany is bounded by the régions of Basse-Normandie to the northeast and Pays de la Loire to the east. It protrudes westward into the Atlantic Ocean as a peninsula; the Bay of Biscay lies to the southwest and the English Channel to the north.

The capital is Rennes . Area 10,505 square miles (27,209 square km). Pop. (1999) 2,906,197; (2007 est.) 3,103,000. The old walled city of Saint-Malo, Brittany région, France. © Stefan Ataman/Shutterstock.com Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Geography Brittany belongs to the ancient uplands of the Armorican Massif and is generally low-lying, with a mean elevation of 341 feet (104 metres). The Aulne Basin separates the heights of the Arrée Mountains (1,260 feet [384 metres]) in the north and the Noires Mountains (1,001 feet [305 metres]) in the south. Both run east-west. Belle-Île-en-Mer, Ouessant, and several other small islands are part of the région. Erosion has carved out sharp abers, or gorges, in the north, and the coastline is deeply indented. Principal rivers include the Vilaine, the Leita, and the Rance.

An oceanic climate prevails. Dinan, Côtes-d’Armor département, Brittany … © Spectrum Colour Library/Heritage-Images Decline in the French share of North Atlantic fisheries and the rural depopulation seen elsewhere in France at the beginning of the 20th century led to a population decline in Brittany of more than 11 percent between 1911 and 1946. Then, following World War II , the population rose, and from the 1970s it was bolstered by the growth of industrial and service businesses. However, demographic recovery has been uneven, favouring the coastal areas, with many inland, rural areas continuing to lose population. Brittany is an important agricultural area in France. Following several decades of change and modernization, farming is efficient and productive, dominated by the raising of pigs, poultry, and calves. Cereals and forage crops are grown, largely to meet the needs of livestock farmers. Vegetables are cultivated in certain northern coastal areas.

Fishing has declined in importance, as elsewhere in northwestern Europe , owing to problems of overfishing and the consequent need to limit catches, but it still characterizes many of Brittany’s ports, notably Guilvinec, Concarneau, and Douarnenez . Similar Topics Provence–Alpes–Côte d’Azur Brittany is not heavily industrialized, but the growth of such industries as electronics, telecommunications, and automobile assembly has offset the decline of the traditional industries of textiles, leather goods, and ship repair. Other long-standing activities, notably food processing, have been strengthened and modernized. Rennes is the main regional focus of industry and is also the administrative and business capital. Tourism is prominent in many coastal areas, and in Ille-et-Vilaine coastal resorts have become more important than the fishing industry to the economy. The département of Morbihan has more stone monuments than any other département in France, with several thousand megaliths in the area of Carnac and Locmariaquer west of the Morbihan Gulf. The medieval towns of Morbihan are also important tourist attractions. Exterior of La Roche aux Fées, megalithic gallery grave of the Neolithic Period, constructed … D.

Lesec/Ziolo Interior of La Roche aux Fées, megalithic gallery grave, Neolithic Period, constructed … D. Lesec/Ziolo Following major investment, the région has been integrated into the French motorway network and is served by a series of highways and high-speed trains (trains à grande vitesse; TGV). Rennes has a regional airport, and Brest is an important seaport and naval base. Bretons combine enterprise and traditionalism. Many have distinguished themselves as seafarers; Jacques Cartier , for example, who explored Canada, was born in Saint-Malo . Brittany long provided the French navy with the majority of its sailors. The Roman Catholic faith is deeply rooted in Brittany; there are pilgrimages, or pardons, at Locronan, Josselin, and Ste. Anne d’Auray. Compared to elsewhere in France, the région has preserved much of its old social structure; in the country, families are large and devoted to paternal authority, and the rural nobility still exercises influence.

Britannica Stories The Breton language is commonly spoken in parts of Morbihan, Finistère, and Côtes-d’Armor, and from the mid-19th century there has been a considerable revival of Breton literature . History Exploring Italy and France: Fact or Fiction? A strong Celtic background distinguishes Brittany from other parts of France. The Celts were the first historically identifiable inhabitants of Brittany, but they probably intermingled with the earlier peoples who built the great stone monuments, the menhirs and dolmens, that still stand. Conquered by Julius Caesar in 56 bc, the region became part of the Roman Empire as Armorica, a Romanization of the Celtic words for “seaside.” The Celts of Armorica never were more than superficially Romanized. After the Romans withdrew, Celts from Britain moved into the area to seek refuge from the Anglo-Saxon invaders of the 5th and 6th centuries. It is from this event that Brittany derives its name. Over the next 300 years the Celts were converted to Christianity by missionaries from the British Isles . During the Middle Ages, Brittany fought to become and remain an independent duchy.

It was first united in the 9th century under the rule of Nomenoë , Brittany’s national hero, who revolted against the Carolingians. By repelling the Norse invaders, his successors were able to keep the independence he had won. In the 10th century the ruler of Brittany took the title of duke and located his capital at Rennes. In the following centuries the dukes not only had to assert their power over rebellious vassals but also faced a threat to their existence from their neighbours, the powerful Norman dukes. In the late 12th century the duchy was brought into the Angevin empire but eventually came under the control of the Capetians, the ruling French dynasty . Brittany had only a minor role in the struggles between England and France during the later Middle Ages. A civil war for control of the duchy was fought in the mid-14th century between supporters of an English heir and supporters of a French heir. The dukes of the family of Montfort , who finally gained the title, tried to keep Brittany neutral during the remainder of the Hundred Years’ War .

Connect with Britannica Facebook Twitter YouTube Instagram Pinterest Brittany became a part of France when Anne, heir to Brittany, married two successive kings of France, Charles VIII and Louis XII . In the formal treaty of incorporation into France in 1532, the province was guaranteed local privileges. Over the next two centuries it resisted the crown’s efforts at centralization. At the time of the French Revolution , Brittany contributed to the agitation that led to the calling of the Estates-General. From 1793 to 1799 the Chouans of Brittany were in revolt against the Revolution’s reorganization of the Roman Catholic church. Throughout the 19th and 20th centuries Brittany remained a conservative area of France, maintaining old social and religious practices. A separatist movement affirms that the Bretons are still conscious of the uniqueness of their province. More about Brittany The departments, areas and towns of Brittany ► ► ► ON THIS PAGE The region of Brittany Brittany is one of the 13 regions of continental France. With 3 million inhabitants, it is one of the less populated of French regions, and covers a surface area of 27,208 km². The regional capital is the city of Rennes.

As it exists today, the Brittany region only covers about 80% of the historic Duchy of Brittany. This stretched right down beyond the mouth of the river Loire, and included an area which is now the "department" of "Loire Atlantique". Ironically, this department also includes the historic capital of the duchy of Brittany, the city of Nantes; but when the modern French regions were created in 1941, it was decided that Nantes and Rennes should not be in the same region, in order to avoid a historic rivalry between the two cities. <img src="chrome://editor/content/images/tag-comment.gif"><!-- h468-blues-pix --> The departments of Brittany. A French department is the equivalent of a British county or a Swedish län. Brittany is divided into four departments which are: Finistère (56) in the west, Côtes d'Armor (22) in the north, Morbihan (56) in the south, and Ille et Vilaine (35) in the east. Historic Brittany also includes Loire Atlantique (44) in the south.

Finistère, capital Quimper, is a rugged department, with a lot of granite moorland; but thanks to its mild climate, it is also has a thriving agriculture, growing early vegetables. The coast has a number of very picturesque fishing ports such as Douarnenez and Concarneau. The largest city in this department however is Brest (urban area population about 300,000), one of France's most important naval ports. Côtes d'Armor, capital Saint Brieuc. Previously known as "Côtes du Nord", this department is mainly low lying, and characterised by a very pretty rocky coastline with many small islands. The most attractive parts of the coast are the Emerald coast, and the Pink Granite coast. The department is strongly agricultural, with pig-farming and cereals among the main activities. Morbihan, capital Vannes. This department on the south coast of Brittany is famous for its mild climate. The coast offers many sandy beaches and small fishing ports. Fishing, boat-building and agriculture are among the department's major industries, along with tourism. Ille et Vilaine, capital Rennes.

The most easterly of the four departments in today's Brittany, Ille & Vilaine is a heavily agricultural department, with cereals, apple orchards and dairy farming. In the past, the people in this eastern part of Brittany did not speak the celtic Breton language, but a form of French. Loire Atlantique, capital Nantes. No longer officially part of Brittany, the Loire Atlantique is a department surrounding the mouth of the river Loire. It is today part of the Pays de Loire administrative region. This region has two major seaports, Nantes and Saint Nazaire, with petrochemicals and ship-building among the major industries. As with much of the Loire valley, this department also has vineyards, producing mostly dry white wines, and is the only wine-growing area in Brittany. Following the reorganisation of French regions in 2016, Loire Atlantique may well demand its reattachment to Brittany. Main towns in Brittany Rennes (photo), with over 200,000 inhabitants, is the regional capital and the largest city in Brittany. It is a major industrial centre, with two universities, and is also the cultural capital of the region.

Situated in the east of the region, it is the hub through which all main lines of communication between Brittany and the rest of France pass. It is not one of the great historic cities of France, since most of the city burned down in 1720; but the centre was largely rebuilt in the eighteenth century, and retains plenty of narrow streets and old buildings. Brest, population 150,000 is home to the French Atlantic fleet and is a major naval port. It has a modern university. The old walled city was fortified in the seventeenth century by the great military engineer Vauban, though much of the old town was destroyed in 1944. Today the city is an industrial centre and a popular sailing port. The city is sited at the end of a large sea inlet, the Rade de Brest. Lorient, west of Vannes in the Morbihan department, now a fishing port of about 60,000 inhabitants, was founded as a company town by the French East India company in 1664 - hence its name, which means The Orient.... or the port from which ships set sail for the Orient.

Today Lorient is most famous for its sailing and its annual Celtic festival. St. Malo, population about 50,000, is a magnificent island walled city on the north coast of Brittany. Heavily damaged in World War II, it has since been rebuilt virtually as it was, and is an architectural gem. In a way, it is France's equivalent of Plymouth, the seaport from which many merchants and adventurers set out in centuries gone by, to seek their fortunes trading and privateering in distant waters. The wealth that they brought back is reflected in the city's magnificent architectural heritage. Vannes, population 50,000, is a port on Brittany's southern coast, with a boatbuilding industry Nantes, population about 280,000, would be the largest city in Brittany if it were still officially in the region. In the past it was the seat of the Dukes of Brittany, located at the top of the tidal reaches of the Loire. It is France's fourth largest port, and is a major economic and cultural hub for the west of France. Its airport is convenient for people travelling to the south of Brittany.

► Click here to view Brittany gites and holiday cottages in the Gitelink directory Photo top of page. Saint Malo Mediaeval corbel on a house in old Vannes Accommodation in Brittany

Question: What is the capital of the French region of Brittany?
Answer: RENNES